Paris: German Chancellor Angela Merkel says it's important to keep talking with President Donald Trump even where there are clear differences.

Merkel said at a news conference Thursday with French president Emmanuel Macron that last week's G20 summit showed common ground, for instance on fighting terrorism, but "we also had to name clear differences, for instance regrettably the difference on whether we need the Paris climate accord or not."

Germany chancellor Angela Merkel. AP

She added, "We did not paper over these differences, but nevertheless contact, the ability to speak is of course important."

Macron said Germany and France agree on the importance of close ties with the United States, despite the differences.

Trump is currently in Paris to mark Bastille Day and commemorate the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I.

Earlier, Merkel has said that she's open to restarting talks with the United States on a trade deal with the European Union.

The dpa news agency reported Tuesday that Merkel told a business audience in Bavaria that Trump's administration had signaled it is ready to negotiate and that "for me a Trans-Atlantic agreement remains on the daily agenda."

On a trip to Berlin last month, US commerce secretary Wilbur Ross said the US and EU should have a free trade agreement. Negotiations for the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership deal, known as TTIP, started under the Obama administration but have been stalled since last year.

Merkel said protectionist policies can be self-defeating.

She said, "it's been repeatedly shown that open markets have economic advantages for all parties involved."